1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sunroof device for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a general sunroof device for a vehicle, there can be mentioned a device including: a roof panel for covering an opening of a fixed roof; cables joined to the roof panel for opening and closing the roof panel by push-pull operation; and guide rails for guiding opening and closing of the roof panel (see, for example, Japanese patent laid-open application No. 2005-41362 (paragraphs 0012-0015 and FIG. 1)).
A sunroof device 100 shown in FIG. 8 is one example of such a sunroof device. In this device, guide rails 5, 5 which are laterally symmetrical extend in a front-rear direction of a vehicle and are disposed under their respective lateral rims of a fixed roof 2 along an opening 3. Cables C1, C2 for performing synchronous push-pull operation are joined to their respective lateral rims of a roof panel 4, and open/close the roof panel 4 while stably supporting the roof panel 4.
The cables C1, C2 are inserted in a drive motor unit M disposed behind the opening 3, and engage with a pinion gear (not shown) in the drive motor unit M, which allows push-pull driving of the cables C1, C2.
In the cable C1, a portion of the cable C1 (driving path) on a joining side to one lateral rim of the roof panel 4, relative to the drive motor unit M, is inserted in a guide tube P1 for guiding the cable C1, and a rest of the cable C1 (idling path) on the other side is inserted in a guide tube P2 for guiding an extra length portion of the cable C1. Likewise, in the cable C2, a portion of the cable C2 (driving path) on a joining side to the other lateral rim of the roof panel 4 is inserted in a guide tube P3, and a rest of the cable C2 (idling path) on the other side is inserted in a guide tube P4.
The sunroof device 100 shown in FIG. 8 has a sunshade panel (not shown) for blocking light entering the opening 3, which opens and closes under the roof panel 4. Sunshade rails 20, 20 for guiding opening/closing of the sunshade panel are symmetrically disposed along their respective guide rails 5, 5 of the roof panel 4. When both of the lateral rims of the sunshade panel slide along their respective sunshade rails 20, 20 in a front/rear direction, the sunshade panel closes/opens while stably supporting the sunshade panel.
Since the roof panel 4 is configured in such a manner that a rear side of the roof panel 4 tilts up or down and slides rearward in a tilt-up or tilt-down state, a rear portion of the roof panel 4 overlaps the fixed roof 2 when the sunroof device 100 is opened. Therefore, even when the roof panel 4 is fully opened, a front portion of the roof panel 4 protrudes in the opening 3. On the other hand, the sunshade panel is disposed under the roof panel 4, and when the sunshade panel is moved horizontally and rearward to open, the entire sunshade panel is accommodated in the fixed roof 2.
Accordingly, a moving distance in a rear direction of the sunshade panel is larger than that of the roof panel 4, and therefore, the sunshade rails 20, 20 for guiding opening/closing of the sunshade panel extend further in a rear direction relative to the rear end portions of the guide rails 5, 5 for guiding opening/closing of the roof panel 4.
Accordingly, a rear portion of the sunshade rail extends in a cantilevered state and has low rigidity, and is susceptible to vibration when the vehicle is running, leading to a problem of noise generation.
In addition, the guide tubes P2, P4 for guiding extra length portions of the cables C1, C2, respectively, also extend in a cantilevered state and have low rigidity, and is susceptible to vibration when the vehicle is running, leading to a problem of noise generation.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a guide tube-fixing structure in a sunroof device in which rigidity of the rear portion of the sunshade rail protruding rearward relative to the guide rail of the roof panel, and rigidity of the guide tubes for the cables, are improved.